Washington Watch

During the campaign President-elect Bill Clinton’s advisors continually reminded themselves of their candidate’s central political theme by hanging a sign in the Little Rock headquarters that read: “It’s the economy, stupid!” The point, of course, was simple. Dissatisfaction with George Bush’s economic performance was a driving force which helped push...

President-elect Bill Clinton has almost completed his first round of cabinet and sub-cabinet appointments. The process has been a fascinating one to watch, and by watching there is a great deal to learn about Clinton’s style of governing. The most fascinating aspect of the process has been to observe Clinton’s...

A steady stream of major political interest groups and constituent organizations have paraded in and out of the Clinton Presidential Transition offices in downtown Washington in the past three weeks. They go in with positions papers, hoping to influence future policy; or with stacks of resumes, hoping to secure important...

Electoral politics is a never-ending game in the United States. No sooner has one election ended than preparation begins for the next round. This time, however, the next round may come much sooner than anyone expected. This week the spotlight has focused on the U.S. Senate. President-elect Bill Clinton’s appointment...

One month after winning the Presidency, and six weeks before assuming office, Bill Clinton is facing a dramatically changing political landscape, both inside the Washington beltway and the world outside it. Clinton based his campaign on a promise of immediate economic and political reform. Within 100 days of taking office,...

There are at least three major political “name games” being played simultaneously in Washington these days. The outcome of all three will be critical in determining the political direction of the country during the next four years. The most consuming of these political name games is, of course, the speculation...

The transition from the Bush to the Clinton Administration is in full swing. Not only did President-elect Bill Clinton come to Washington this week to meet with Congressional leaders on Capitol Hill and President George Bush at the White House, but the Democrats’ transition offices have opened; and they are...

This week President-elect Bill Clinton makes his first post-election visit to Washington to meet with the congressional leadership. His priority will be to solidify his ties with the legislative branch and build amicable working relationships, which he will need to get his initial proposals through Congress in a timely manner....

There has been a great deal of analysis and commentary in the Arab press about the impact of a Clinton presidency on the Arab world. Many of the articles I have seen have been fundamentally flawed, based as they were on simplistic distortions or inadequate analysis. Some of the articles,...

As recently as one week ago the outcome of the U.S. election seemed certain. Bill Clinton’s lead appeared to be so insurmountable, especially in several key electoral states, that no political analyst I know could imagine a realistic scenario that could turn the election around for George Bush. Now, at...